Sometimes in the rush of interviewing for a role that we’re desperate to fill we lose sight of recruiting etiquette. Part of this is not asking questions that could potentially turn into an HR nightmare for you as they have been deemed as potentially discriminatory. And while some of these may be obvious or self explanatory, I thought I would put together a list to share with you so that you can avoid potentially getting yourselves into an HR mess: Avoid asking questions around race/country of origin/where they or their parents grew up and/or ethnicity. This can easily be reframed as: “Are you currently authorized to work in the US? Do you now, or will you in the future, require sponsorship for a Visa?” Avoid asking questions about someone’s marital or relationship status, and/or sexual preference. Do not ask about children (whether or not they have them, plan to have them, childcare situation, or their ages). Definitely do not ask questions about political preference, affiliation, etc. Just stay away! Avoid asking questions about someone’s health and whether or not they have any health issues and/or disabilities. You CAN ask, “XYZ” Do not ask questions about someone’s age, including asking what year they graduated from high school or college. Stay away from asking about someone’s commute. You might instead want to ask. “Is there anything that would prevent you from arriving to work on time every day?” Do not ask “Can you work for someone younger/older than you?”. Refrain from asking questions about their religion or what religious holidays they observe. You CAN ask, “Can you work… (describe schedule).” Do not ask if English is their first language. And lastly, do not ask if they’re comfortable working for a boss of either sex. Again, these may or may seem like no brainers, but it’s always best to air on the caution when it comes to interviewing. If you need help or ideas on how to reframe these questions in a non-discriminatory way, keep an eye out for another posting in the next few days on how to do just that. Good luck!

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